6 Tips to Organize a Successful Business Conference

Event organization is never an easy task, especially if you’re not a professional event organizer. There are so many things that you have to keep in mind and prepare that people lose themselves in all the preparations. That is why selecting the right team of people is essential; good business partners, timing, and many more factors. We have created a short list that includes six tips on how to approach the organization of a conference that is bound to be a success!

The promotional aspect

Organizing events in which the attendees are known beforehand is easy. You know who is coming to the wedding, because you have given them an invitation, but the crowds at conferences are much more heterogenic. Often, you will be expected to actually attract more people to come, assuming the role of a PR agency. This is where your promotional skills are put to the test. In order to save money any time, create an online invitation, and share it on social media. Also, don’t forget to contact the media to let them know about the conference and let them disseminate the invite from there on.

A contingency budget

Needless to say, the whole event needs to be meticulously planned. Businesspeople don’t have time to wait in line for hours to register, for instance. Make sure everything runs smoothly by preparing sufficient funds. Draft a general budget before the conference starts, but be ready to include a contingency budget as well. This way, you will be ready if things don’t turn out the way you planned. The band might cancel or the limo can break down, but you always have enough money in your pocket to hire a substitute.

Plan to the last detail

The saying “The devil is in the details” could not be truer in the world of big business. The crowds that attend business conferences can appreciate every little detail you add to the conference. That is why your general plan should be as detailed as possible. From the arrivals to the color of the flowers, everything should be painstakingly selected and applied. The logic behind this attention to detail is the fact that things are bound to go wrong, but you can accommodate this because the other 95 percent of the event is perfect.

Arriving in style

Speaking of the arrivals, the transport options of your guests should be covered by the master plan for the conference. The aforementioned limos are nice, but business people will come from afar so you should think of a corporate aircraft charter for the conference. It is ideal for bringing to the venue large groups of people who would otherwise spend a whole day traveling by land. Flying in your guests is a clear signal from the very start that the conference organizers mean business, pun intended. After all, the conference really starts when the first guests step onto the airplane, so do your best to leave the best possible first impression by hiring a corporate charter.

Assembling the team

No man (or woman) is an island, and this especially true for conference planners. That is why you can always hear about the organization team or board. There isn’t a single person who can organize any big corporate event on their own. It is always left to several people to deliver so be sure you hire the best possible team. The members of the team will serve as your right hand, so investing in human resources, in this case, can prove to a great investment. From the person who is in charge of handling the phone calls to the busboy at the venue, everyone must be 100 percent dedicated to the event. Once you are certain that the whole team truly cares about the conference, you can be sure that guests will recognize this dedication, and award it with positive feedback.

The final check-up

After you have made all the arrangements, and your team is making sure everybody is doing their share, you still cannot relax. 24 hours before the event is scheduled to start, take out your itinerary, and confirm everything from the charter to catering and the band. You would be surprised how many things can go wrong at the last moment, so you need to constantly be on the alert. Also, don’t forget to check with all the speakers if they are coming, ask if they have their presentations ready, and if they will need something extra. If the conference is a large one, then you can create several parallel checklists.

If this is the first business conference you are organizing, then these six tips will prove valuable. However, as you gain more experience, you will learn new hacks for how to be successful at event organization. The most important thing is not to panic, as there isn’t a problem you cannot solve if you give it your best. Also, learn to rely on the people in your team, because sharing responsibility is an important factor of a successfully organized business conference.